PARX PICKS AND HORSES TO WATCH: JAN. 20

Street Band
Street Band upset the 2019 Grade 1 Cotillion Stakes at Parx Racing . Photo by Allison Janezic.

Parx Racing has a 10-race card on tap for this afternoon. Post time for the opener is 12:25 p.m., and we’ve got Parx picks.

How’d we do last time at Parx?

RACE NUMBERCONTENDERSCOMMENTS
Race 54-8-1-3Top choice #4 Market Maven (6-1) improved nicely to be a clear second last time out versus similar when nine lengths clear of the rest; that was his first time with Lasix, too, he was wide on the turn, and he should be tough in here… #8 Extrasexybigdaddee (9-2) hasn’t run terribly (though not well, either) in two tries against maiden allowance rivals at Laurel Park and ought to benefit from easier company here; he’s a half to two runners who topped $250k in earnings… Bit of a middle move before tiring on debut for #1 Nine Toe Johnny (8-1), who ought to improve here in his second career start… # 3 Marvalous Mike (3-1) couldn’t go with our top choice last time out but did hang onto third and has competed at this level; his five defeats to date make it tough to take short odds…
Race 94-8-5-7The one horse on the card who looks like a potential star is #4 Knockout Kick (2-1). The now four-year-old Shackleford gelding came off a long stay on the bench — more than a year — to break his maiden by five and followed that up with a PA-bred allowance win by almost 10 while ridden out. It’s not clear that he’s beaten much yet, but he’s done it the way a good horse should, looks to be the speed of the speed here, and should win if he’s the horse we think he might be… #8 Dig Charlie Dig (4-1) has some decent tries at this level and will be running on late; if the pace heats up, he could benefit… #5 La Waun (7-2) has lost his last two at this level and figures to be chasing the speed again here… #7 Call Me Daddy (8-1) rallied smartly to win a starter last time out and, like Dig Charlie Dig, would benefit from a pace duel…

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